---

---

Veronica gave Sofia a sheepish grin after the other girl had given her a friendly chastisement for having downed her two shots in quick succession, though internally, she was berating herself as her self-control was eroding a little with the alcohol already. She was glad the other girl was taking their agreement so seriously, though she didn't want to become a burden for her either, even if they'd said they were going to look out for one another.

She nodded along as Anatoliy praised both of their names and then assured her that she’d done nothing wrong with how she’d taken her shots. ”Thank you, I think your name is pretty unique as well. And I suppose not, I’m just a little out of practice.”

‘Got here sometime this morning’ he said while pouring himself another shot. ‘I was trying to leave but people stopped me, I didn’t mean that — ’ he seemed to be getting a little flustered as his words tripped over themselves, his face starting to burn red as he spoke. ‘Niet, I meant, I did mean that. I didn’t mean to say that outloud, I’m sorry,’

She gave Anatoliy a reassuring smile after he stopped speaking to have his shot, and when she spoke, her voice took on a faint French accent at first before returning to her normal tone ”C'est la vie, don’t apologise. I’m sure we’ll all be glad you stayed, though hopefully you don’t feel kidnapped or anything... that might be awkward.”

He asked them if they’d been enjoying camp, and Veronica wasn’t sure how to answer that, since as far as camp events had been breaking some bones and most of her body being covered in bruises was not exactly fun. She was glad to hear that Sofia was enjoying her time here so far, and she was curious to know more about Anatoliy’s experience of camp so far would be, especially since he’d apparently already tried and failed to leave. She wasn’t certain if that was cause for unease or not, without knowing what had happened.

Her focus on her new friends kept drifting away and further down towards the other end of the bar where the woman who’d caught her eye earlier was standing, though she now appeared fully engrossed in conversation. And Veronica felt her heart sink a little more when yet another new camper engaged the pair. It was completely irrational since their fingers had barely even touched, and a single shared glance shouldn’t have left such a warm flush as it had, but perhaps it was because of how natural it had felt rather than the result of her influence.

She was brought out of her little reverie as she noticed Anatoliy’s face twist into an expression that she couldn’t quite make sense of, so she turned to look to see what had caught his eye. Her hand shot up almost instantly to cover her mouth while her face flushed a bright pink, and her eyes widened in shock as she took in what was occurring a little further down the bar. Blair’s outfit alone had made her feel a little flustered when she’d first seen it, but the scene now was bordering on the obscene. Yet she couldn’t seem to tear herself away from it, even if that made her feel slightly voyeuristic. Sofia, however, seemed to be actively trying not to acknowledge the pair at all, let alone watch what they were up to.

‘I didn’t realize it was that kind of party,’ Veronica looked away from the pair’s intimate moment, her mouth feeling uncomfortably dry ”No... I didn’t... Either.” She watched the pair as they slipped away from the bar, their intentions clear.

‘I guess you get to see a little bit of everything at these parties?’

”I... suppose? I’ve been at camp a few months now, and this is, well, my first party. And it’s not what I expected it to be.” She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting exactly, maybe getting to know some of the other campers better. Though not that kind of better... even if it had been invigorating.

The press of bodies was growing thicker by the moment, and the mix of alcohol along with the ‘entertainment’ being provided by Blair was getting overwhelming. Though overall it was giving her flashbacks to a night that had led to a suspension back in high school, and a reminder not to let herself give in to temptation. Though that was a little hard, as she kept thinking that by now the stranger would most certainly be another conquest for the child of Athena.

She looked over the assorted bottles, thinking she’d get herself an actual drink and maybe pull back from the crowd before she gave into the temptation of attractive strangers, such as the smiling man now standing behind the bar. Veronica felt herself smiling as she let herself indulge in a little appraisal of him pouring out fresh shots with a much more practised ease than Blair had done, given the mix of coloured layers. There was certainly a pull to ask if he could mix her something up, though, before she could decide one way or another, his attention was caught by yet another new arrival; a young man with hair that looked as if he’d been dragged through a bush. He’d taken a seat and was asking for a glass of water.

Veronica felt herself giggle, wondering what their newly appointed bartender would make of that. She picked up a bottle and poured herself about two shots of Malibu into a glass that she topped up with Coke, dropping a single straw in to finish it off. Drink in hand, she took a step or two away from the press of bodies and looked over at Anatoliy and Sofia.

”Sofia and I were trying to decide where to go next, since the night in young as she keeps telling me.” She nodded vaguely towards the sledging hill before glancing at the food table when her stomach rumbled in answer ”though I think food is definitely in my future.”

---

---

Idris had never met his father before just now and already that god had made him angry.

There was much about their first meeting that Idris was willing to let slide. He wasn’t mad that the first time he met his own father happened in his mothers restaurant, twenty five years after he was born, without the courtesy of a ‘hey kid, I went out to get a pack of smokes and got lost on the way home’. Idris got it. His dad was a god, and gods were busy doing whatever things the gods would do, and if the stories about his father were to be believed there were likely many demi-god half-siblings out in the world which would make it difficult to visit them all. Idris was also not angry that his father had seemingly enveloped him in a blinding flash of light, and teleported him halfway around the world seemingly in an instant. It saved him money, energy, and he did not have to worry about screaming babies on the airplane. Idris was angry because he could not tell his mother that he was going to be going away.

For all he knew, his mother would be getting a call from their usual clients in a couple of hours letting her know the restaurant was closed. She would try to call him but, judging by the lack of bars on his phone, the calls would fail, and she would think the worst. The restaurant would remain closed as she made it her mission to find him and would suffer day by day. All because his dad had big plans. Idris shook his head as steam poured from his nostrils, his eyes wide and crazed. It was evident that his father had thought of everything to get him here, as evident by the bag on his back, a suitcase in one hand, and his Olympic Recurve bow in the other. All prepared before he was even in the restaurant, all ready to be sent alongside him, and yet his father did not even consider how Idris would react to not having the chance to say goodbye to his mother.

The dick waltzed into his life after twenty five years and everything he did was still about him. The fucking nerve. Idris rolled his eyes in disgust.

Idris shook his head as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the notepad he would have used to take orders during the day, and pulled the pen out of the same place. He wrote a quick note to his mother.

“Mom. Dad stopped by and needed me to train for something. I will be at a camp, I don't know where or when I will be back.

PS: Dad is a dick for sending me off before I could say goodbye."

Idris folded the paper and then stuffed the paper into the gaps in the frame of the bow, and then placed the bow on the ground. He began to walk towards the gate and reached his hand out towards the thumb print reader, when suddenly a single lute note played out. He felt his bow in his hand again, and he looked down and saw that the note was now missing. “Divine fucking intervention,” Idris muttered as he pressed his thumb into the sensor, rolling his eyes as he did, and shook his head when somehow the gate opened.

Idris took the first step forward as he continued to ruminate about his father. Yet as soon as he was walking along the path inside the compound he could feel the warm air around him suddenly appear. It wasn’t like he wasn’t prepared for the cold, he just came from Halifax in winter and it was a cold day there today. Thus, he had on a heavy winter coat, fingerless gloves, a scarf around his neck, and a hat on his head. He would’ve been warm regardless, yet the air here was noticeably warmer than it should have been. Idris stopped moving forward as he tilted his head to the side, before looking side to side half expecting to see some other person practicing some weird magic causing that sudden change yet none would show themself. His eyes slowly returned back to the front and lingered there for a second before they squinted. “I mean gods are real so,” he paused as he exhaled and shook his head, “strangley warm air is normal,” he began to resume his walk forward, “god I hate this place already.”

As Idris continued forward his eyes flicked from side to side searching for any sign of anyone else, and after a second he caught sight of a small group through the passing trees. His eyes latched on. From what he could tell from the distance they were standing around some structure, maybe a kiosk? He couldn’t make out much at this distance so he returned his eyes to the path ahead. Idris saw that he was approaching a clearing of some kind, and his ears told him there was a large gathering ahead. It wasn’t until he hit the edge of the trees that, to his horror, he realized that there was a party happening. A chill ran down the length of his spine. That would mean that there was likely alcohol, and music, and the possibility of a karaoke station did not escape his mind. Memories flashed across his mind of him standing, one arm around the shoulders of a stranger and the other gripping that mic while a voice unknown to him belted out Dad Rock. The smiles all around him, everyone having a good time, and the yearn in their hearts to do this again. Idris hated that. He would do everything within his power to avoid going to the party tonight.

Idris’s eyes shifted back to the kiosk, and the group assembled by it. He saw there was a tall, one armed man, helping a smaller woman pick something out. His ears caught some mentions of cabins, selections, but not much more than that. Was that how they picked where they lived? He raised an eyebrow at the thought, a kiosk? Really? He rolled his eyes. Of course it would be magic. Was there anything mundane to this place, or would he be rolling his eyes every single day he was here? Something deep within his gut told him it would be the latter.

The warmth of the area began to get to him. It was downright pleasant out inside the camp so as such, he placed his bow down and took off his backpack placing it down next to it. He pulled the scarf off first, and pushed it into the top flap of the backpack. Then, his coat came off revealing the unbuttoned button up shirt overtop a maroon shirt. He then got the backpack back on, draped his coat over his one arm, while the other grabbed his bow. Idris looked back at the two by the kiosk and decided to at least get in line to see if he could figure out where he himself would be staying tonight.

Idris took a few heavy steps first to try and announce his presence while keeping his eyes inviting, the last thing he wanted to do was spook a demi-god who might not know how to use their power. It would be just like hiking through the woods if a bear is in the area where you’d make enough noise to let the bear know you are there and keep it consistent enough that you don't startle it. He stopped his steps as he was within talking distance with the two.

“Hi,” Idris paused as he gave the two a moment to register his greeting, “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but did you say that device is how we pick out where we’re staying?”

---

Location: Party outskirts --> Near Camp Entrance
Interactions: Wes (@Mjolnir), Idris (@NoriWasHere)
Mentions: Trinity

“Yeah, same,” Forest noticed that the man had his mouth agape at the sights as well. This was a good thing. While Forest was no stranger to the type of activities that were on display, he was a stranger to it being done in view of the public. His stomach still churned at the images that burned their way into his mind, and he knew that for the first time in his life he’d consider therapy to get over it. It did help having a nice person to talk to. The man was right. Mead, something else to look at, and Forest would add to it a nice conversation with a nice man was everything one needed to quickly not notice the sights. “If I never see that again, we're square. Haven't been here long. Almost an hour tops.” Forest shuffled his footing at the news. Another new guy amongst the crowd. While he did not know who had been here a long time or was new, he was hoping to find someone to give him the ropes, and maybe a tour to know where everything was. Still, if nothing else maybe the two could explore the compound together if nothing else.

“Elias.” Forest took a quick mental note of the name. He had met Roxxy, and now Elias. “And I'm guessing you brewed this yourself, Forest?” Forest smiled as his creation got recognized for what it was. The dry tone of Elias did little to hide the appreciation, and Forest smiled harder as he expected a compliment to follow. “Are you a son of Dionysus, or just dangerously handy with honey?”

Forest’s eyes went large as a hand suddenly found itself positioned over his chest. His heart felt like it fluttered before it skipped a beat. Was his mead that high quality that it could elicit a complement of being dangerously handy with honey? Forest’s mind blanked for a second as he savored the sheer euphoria of the suggestion, and it was an honor. And the first question was a good feeling too. He never would even suggest that his tasty, homemade, creations were anywhere close to what a child of Dionysus could create. “I can’t say I am a son of Dionysus, but I can say that Demeter is my mother," he paused as he placed his hands on his hips, “I like to work my magic into my garden, and the bees seem to have taken a liking to the flowers I created. As they say, one thing led to another." He paused as he looked around the party once more, and did not see any other tomfoolery like before. “I am dangerously handy with honey, and fruits, though I will give you that." Forest offered a warm smile as his head tilted to the side ever so gently.

The night was now a little more worth it thanks to the kind words and wonderful conversation offered by Elias. Forest finished off his drink in a quick gulp. While he did not want to get drunk tonight, it was still fun at the moment. He would consider another drink only if he had a drinking buddy worth talking to. “Have you gotten out and explored the camp yet? I have been to the map, to my cabin, and here thus far. Not sure what else is out there as I also just got here today."

---

Location: Table near the bonfire
Interactions: Sylas (@Mjolnir), Heath (@Pristine1281)
Mentions: River, Blair, Anatoliy, Iliana

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Location: Bar
Interactions: Bax @Hound55, Trinity @xNocturnax, Bar Crowd in general
Mentions:

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Location: Bar
Interactions: Forest(@NoriWasHere)
Mentions: Blair, Nate (rejected the cig)

---

Make sure she has a bed tonight? God, she was adorable. Roxxy had dated a decent amount. Her journey of coming out was easy compared to most. It wasn’t like she had parents to be disappointed in her, so when she discovered she liked girls at the age of 9, it was simple. Then she started getting crushes, hanging out, and kissing. Few foster parents cared enough to ask.

Roxxy didn’t lke to think she had a type. She dated a biker with dreadlocks, a nerdy botanist, and a preppy athleisure model who was a virgin. Tess was something special. Was it because she was in a similar boat to herself? Perhaps. But her stumbling over her words made her feel a little tingle.

”Sure, we can go check it out. Shouldn’t be a long trip.” She mentally thanks whoever was looking out for them that Forest had decided not to tag along and was in conversation with another man who walked up. Roxxy stood up from the chair and waited for Tess.

Tess eyed the bottle of mead that Forest had offered, one hand still placed on the bar as she considered bringing it. She didn't want to seem rude by denying it, already feeling a slight warmth pulse beneath her chest. At the same time, the last thing she needed was to end up wasted and at the mercy of a bunch of strangers (even the gorgeous ones). Tess instead offered a nod of thanks for the well wishes to Forest, before she too slid from the barstool.

As she took a few steps with Roxxy, she felt her heart rate spike. This was unfamiliar waters. While Tess didn't have many friends, especially in recent years, she had met other demigods. She had shared a few fleeting moments of intimacy with some, but it was always a spark in the pan. This, surely, was just another cracking ember. This moment too, would pass. But Tess hadn't felt this tight nervousness in her stomach before. They were treading unfamiliar waters in a strange new environment.

”We don't have to be quick.” Tess, yet again, seemed momentarily unfamiliar with the connotation of her statement, the same frayed nerves more evident on her face. Tess looked back at the crowded bar, feeling a bit more comfortable the more she moved from the others. ”I'm not really used to crowds. Especially not with… well, people like us.”

Roxxy intended to take her time, but she also didn’t want to pressure Tess. ”Works for me.” Roxxy fell back as Tess caught up. She looked around, ensuring they were heading in the right direction. ”I don’t mind crowds, but people can be….a lot. Especially the ones like us. Never met any before coming here. I thought I did once, but he turned out to just be some buff dude who said he was “like Zeus”. If you don’t mind me asking since we have some time, what made you decide to come here?”

Tess rubbed her hands together, less for warmth and just more from an uncertainty on what to do with them in this outfit. ”I'm trying to find out.” Her response remained terse for a moment, as she weighed her options. Relative honesty seemed like the best strategy for getting clear answers in return. ”I've been training for… something, but I'm not sure what. Got a letter from my mother, telling me this is where I need to be.” It sounded dumb, even ridiculous. Tess treated it all as gospel. ”You?”

”Well, I don’t really know. Never knew my father or mother, got bounced around in the foster care system until they were legally allowed to throw me out on the curb so I made it for myself. But there was always that…tug. Like…I knew something was missing and, obviously, I could do things normal humans couldn’t, so I wanted to find out why. And when I found out who my father was I got more curious. So after doing some research, I found this, and here I am. I don’t expect my father to show up, of course, but I figured I could get to know some people like me, maybe meet my siblings, though I won’t hold my breath.”

Tess nodded, settling on shoving her hands into the pockets of her high-waisted slacks as they walked. ”Oddly… I hadn't even thought about having siblings here.” She hesitated a moment, playing Roxxy's words through her head. It was better to be safe than sorry. ”Who is your father?”

”Good ol’ Ares. I don’t know much about him apart from what I picked up in a library or two, but I imagine they don’t always get it correct.” Admittedly, learning more about Ares made Roxxy not want to meet him. Dude was not well-liked. But she was here to see anyway.

”What about yours? Surely a goddess of beauty or something similar.”

Tess’ blush returned as she sheepishly looked away. ”No… Artemis.” From everything Tess had read, Artemis wasn't a goddess of beauty. Her father would have almost disagreed, based on his drunken ramblings on late winter nights. Roxxy was clearly just being sweet, and it was definitely working.

”Artemis, goddess of the hunt. She’s pretty badass from what I know. Any special talents associated with her?” Roxxy felt her flirting was doing its job, but she couldn’t be totally sure. Tess could just be incredibly shy and too afraid to push off her advances.

”For her… shifting into animals. Turning other people into animals. Talking to animals. I don't think I inherited any of that.” She looked up into the sky for a moment, catching a few stars in her sights as they walked and subconsciously charting the cardinal direction they were travelling. ”Ares… the god of war, right?” She wasn't quite sure how to replicate Roxxy's own question back, settling instead to let her simple question be an offering for further elaboration.

”Among other things, but that seems to be the biggie. Makes me a good fighter, really strong, and can summon weapons to use, though I haven’t used that one much. The strength comes in handy at my shop and I’ve never lost a fight, though many have tried. So no drawbacks as far as I can see.”

Tess nodded, facing Roxxy as a small smile formed on her lips. ”You haven't lost a fight yet.” She bit the corner of her lip after she spoke, her eyes bright with excitement. She hadn't met a proper warrior before, and an opponent with actual powers was an exhilarating prospect. But under the surface of her words, there was a playful yearning. She wanted to spar with Roxxy, sure, but that wasn't the kind of physical contact she was looking for tonight. Tess was hoping for a far more intimate tussle.

Roxxy grinned wickedly. ”Is that a challenge? I’d be down, but I wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face.” Roxxy drew nearer to Tess. She didn’t have a battle in mind, though if she had her way they would get tired and sweaty. ”Perhaps after tonight. For today, something better?”

”Better?” Tess asked playfully. She didn't back away from Roxxy's approach, a mixture of pride and excitement flushing through her system. ”And what exactly did you have in mind for tonight, Roxxy?” Her tone was a bit more direct now, removing her hands from her pockets.

”Well, let’s see. What can two attractive, well-intentioned women get up to in a cabin in the middle of camp all alone?” Roxxy knew what she wanted, but if Tess just wanted to talk more, that was good too. ”Let’s get there and see where the night takes us, maybe?”

They neared Roxxy’s chosen cabin and she stepped towards the door. She opened it and looked in. ”Well, fully furnished. And in a style I actually like.”

Tess’ eyes scanned the cabin, noting how modern and borderline suburban it felt. It was a far cry from the more cramped and rustic cabin that she had, but it was not altogether unwelcome. Roxxy's approval of the place said a lot about her. ”It is nice. It suits you.” Tess took in the space for a moment, before turning her gaze to Roxxy.

They had been dancing around something unspoken, and Tess was not particularly good with words. She had hoped that her racing heart and perspiration were just a response to the crowd of people… but they persisted even now in relative isolation. Tess cared not for pleasantries or small talk. ”I'm sorry… I… well… I want to kiss you.” Her request was awkward and stilted, but it was the most clear she could possibly be.

Tess was right, it did suit her. And normally, Roxxy would question how that could possibly be. Did she just happen to pick the right cabin that suited her tastes or did she pick it and, by some magical force, it furnished it with things she would like?

But an attractive woman just admitted she wanted to kiss her and Roxxy didn’t need more of an invitation than that. Pulling Tess in and closing the door, she pulled Tess in and kissed her. Intense and passionate. She had been wanting to do that since she first laid eyes on her. ”I wanted that the moment we met.” She leaned in more, allowing herself to taste and enjoy the moment. The world around her blurred and faded. She savored it a moment longer before settling. ”What do you know? I’m seeing fireworks and the New Year hasn’t happened yet.”

Tess was left speechless, her hands reflexively pulling Roxxy in close as the two kissed. The feeling had been mutual, even if she hadn't been able to clearly vocalize it. But she tasted sweet, most certainly from the mead. When their lips parted, Tess slowly took a half step back to be able to look at Roxxy through her lashes. ”Fireworks?” Her confusion melted, however, as her brain began to process Roxxy's own confession. ”I… guess it's a good thing I came when I did. I didn't realize people celebrated a new year, and I almost slept through it. We never really did holidays, my dad didn't see a point.” Tess paused a moment, her hands flexing on the small of Roxxy's back as she refocused on the moment at hand. ”That was good. I liked it.”

Roxxy moved in to her cabin now, resting on one of the chairs and gesturing for Tess to follow. ”The way I grew up, holidays weren’t really a celebration either. Hard to celebrate with people who didn’t want you.” Roxxy kept quiet about the many Christmases where she was gifted second-hand clothing or toys while the others (the correct children one of her fosters had said) were given actual gifts. Or the Halloweens where she was forced to stay home and hand out the candy while the others went out Trick or Treating. And every New Year felt the same so why bother hoping?

”Well, perhaps this New Year will be different for both of us then? It’s already shaping up to be pretty spectacular.”

A small pang of pain shot through Tess’ chest. She followed Roxxy, taking in her words and standing beside her as she sat. She looked about the room more carefully, taking in the details. Without realizing, she had lifted a hand to Roxxy's shoulder to give a reassuring squeeze. ”It has been the most exciting New Years Eve for me so far.” Tess looked down towards Roxxy, crouching down a little to get more in her eye-line.

”This seems like a good opportunity to get a fresh start. Do what you want. Live.” Was she speaking to Roxxy, or herself?

Roxxy wrapped her hand on Tess’ own on her shoulder. ”Then, to living.” Roxxy scooted closer, taking Tess and bringing her in again to kiss her gently. She wanted more. ”Do you want to take this further? I’m good with wherever you are at.”

Tess softened under Roxxy's touch, and nodded at her words. Crouching wasn't going to work. So, she hooked one knee up on the couch next to Roxxy. Her other knee settled on her other side, until Tess was straddled over her lap. She turned her hand up to lightly tug on Roxxy's wrist, guiding the hand over towards the buttons of her black blouse. ”I don't have a lot of experience,” she explained, guiding Roxxy's other hand up towards her shirt. ”Only kissed a few.” Tess coaxed Roxxy's hands to slowly thread the top button from its hold. Her breath caught slightly at the sensation. ”So we can go slow. Maybe you can show me what you like.” Confident that Roxxy understood the message, Tess lifted her hands up to bunch up her long brown hair to keep it out of the way. ”I'm a quick learner.”

Roxxy liked a girl who knew what she wanted, but she enjoyed showing her the ropes also. She worked, undoing the buttons on Tess’ top, starting to believe the shy, stumbling-over-her-words woman from before seemed to grow a touch more confident in private. Not that Roxxy minded. ”Well, I like long walks on the beach and getting lost in the rain. But since we have precious little of that here, why don’t I just show you what I like and I can reciprocate in kind? I’m a giver like that,” Roxxy said, allowing herself to get lost for a moment, not quite believing she landed a beautiful woman her first day here.

Roxxy moved a bit to take off her jacket and bring her top over her head. Taking in the sight before her, Roxxy said a small bit of thanks to whoever is watching out for her.

outfit(minus the glasses and camera)

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""

As Leo was walking back to the party. Kinda wishing he stayed with Amorey and walked with her cabin. Since he would not mind, and the two had some things in common. But he figured that she could do it on her own, and he should socialize with the other kids at the party. Still, Leo had to admit she did look good and... and Leo chuckled to himself with a shy smile, maybe just maybe. But that is for later if he acts on it.

"Hmmm," Leo thought silently to himself as he walked back to the party. Today has been a big day, getting to camp, meeting new people like him, and now a party. He would shake his head in amazement. Leo did not know what to expect from camp, and Ares did not try to explain anything then just go for your safety. "From what father?" Leo would say in a hushed, annoyed tone. Again, him holding his anger back, nothing is clear, but at least he has a roof over his head and people to talk and hang out with. Plus, he needs to meet his sister, Trinity.

To be honest with himself, he had some thoughts about having a sibling growing up. An idea that he liked but figured was never going to happen, and he does not know how to introduce himself to her. Can it be that simple as, hey Trinity, I am your half-brother and care to talk for a bit? Leo sighed, maybe not that since he wants to get to know her, and he should work on how to greet her. But things have been surprisingly simple today, so who knows, really. When magic, gods, and demigods are in play. Though he did start to wonder what else is in play, given the world he is now apart of.

But as he was alone with his thoughts and the sounds of the party grew stronger. Leo came close to the dancing area and noticed that there along with Andy and some guy, was a woman dancing by herself. Leo stopped a moment to think. He did not recognize her. Meaning she was either a new kid like him or an old camper. Either way, Leo was tempted to hang out with the solitary dancer so she could have company tonight. Even if she is dancing alone on purpose, and even though he is not a good dancer.

Still, with some native courage, Leo decided to meet this lone dancer and walked up to Tapeesa. Not attempting to dance next to her and introduce himself that way. He prefers that direct approach even if things get awkward because of it.

So with once he was close, he tried to get her attention with a friendly voice and a small wave. "Hey, I was just walking around and saw you were alone here and figured you could use some company. If you want company, that is, and my name is Leo."

Interact - Tapeesa@Mjolnir | Mentions - Amorey, Trinity, Andy, Mason

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outfit

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Tried to leave? Sofia thought to herself as she listened to what Anatoliy had to say. She had a mind to ask him why, since while she was disappointed that the purpose of camp is to train and not be a haven for demigods. She still elected to stay despite the truth. What caused him to want to pitch camp? Sofia was curious, and is there something else she did not know about? Though it seems like he is not willing to talk about it, so she will not try to ask.

"Yeah, Anatoliy," Sofia added after what Veronica said with a smile. "Stick around some more and see what camp is like after tonight. It can't be all bad." At least that is what she hopes for.

When Anatoliy brought up the elephant in the room or field. Sofia did not have the guts to gaze upon that sight again, and it showed on her face with a disgusted grin. "That is not my kind of party." Hopefully, that is not a normal custom here since Sofia has been to her share of parties and seeing people, getting really into it, and nearly having sex in full view of everyone. Like there are cabins here at camp. Just go there for this and not on the fucking bar where everyone is. Time and place people, time and place. That is what she wanted to say to the two, but she would rather not have to talk to those two right now.

But back to Veronica and Anatoliy's conversation as Sofia shifted her thoughts and gaze. "We can do food now if you are hungry." Sofia could feel herself getting a bit hungry as he started to look at the food table with plotting eyes. "Then we can have some non alcoholic fun and get away from a certain... development." Sofia pointed with her head in the direction of Blair and Ace.

Granted, Sofia tonight has yet to consume any of the alcohol at the bar yet. Unlike Veronica or maybe Anatoliy since she did not know if he drunk yet. So to make sure that Veronica is not alone in drinking. Sofia looked at the bar not being used by the two lovers and got herself something she knows she can handle. So she got a cup and poured herself a cup's worth of gin. It may not be fancy or strong, but she likes it and knows she can handle a cup of gin no problem.

So after getting her drink and taking a sip. Feeling the liqurd entering her body. Sofia turned to Anatoliy with a question in mind.

"So Anatoliy, what say you?" Sofia looked with a curious smile. You okay with joining us for a bit and have some food and fun, or go solo?" She then looked with a reassuring look and tone. "Just if you want some company for a bit tonight."

Interact - Veronica@Fabricator, Anatoliy@The Savant | Mentions - Blair and Ace

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Fiona could see Nelly glance in her direction and give her what could be best described as a sympathetic look, which did little to improve her overall mood. She knew her friend wouldn’t want her to sulk even if it was something she was oh so good at. Nelly was almost the personification of boundless energy after all, and she loved to share her joy with those around her as best she could. It was one of her most endearing qualities, and even if it did drive Fiona round the twist sometimes, she wasn’t always appreciative of her friend's enthusiastic attempts to draw her out of her shell, as it was usually a little overwhelming. She was still glad to be seen as someone worth trying to include, which was new to her.

Nelly started talking about her time at camp, which was easily the longest of the three and offered to answer any questions Morne might have about the camp. Between the two of them, she was by far the better choice as she’d not only been here longer, but she also actively engaged with everyone, whether they wanted her to or not, so she had a much better understanding of the social interaction than Fiona did. She could imagine her Mother’s disappointment in her lack of knowledge, which caused a faint smile to play on her lips before she took a slow drink of her whiskey.

"Oh, Dionysus huh? How cool! I guess you really know your alcohol huh? My dad is Hermes. The messenger of the gods, known for being fast. I once did race him, didn't have a chance hehe, but I am still pretty fast. Fiona here can vouch for that. And yeah, you can join us.”

Fiona returned her friend's smile and nodded her head once while she made a noise that sounded vaguely affirmative in response to Nelly’s thinly veiled attempt to bring her into the conversation. As for Nelly inviting him to join them, it felt almost superfluous since he’d joined them regardless of the answer, but there wasn’t a great deal she could really do about that without just getting up and leaving. And while she wasn’t bothered so much about making a scene, least of all whether it made Morne think less of her, she didn’t want to cause issues between her and Nelly.

‘I know too well about favoritism,’ Morne's reply to her bitter commentary came across as joke, which seemed to be his intention, but something about how he’d said it made her look at him a little more closely as he continued to speak.

While the mention of his drink-making ability piqued her interest a smidge, but he didn’t elaborate, and she wasn’t gripped by a desire to inquire further before he moved on to another topic. ‘I think I remember them bringing up all the Gods and stuff in high school English class’ which made her think back to her own knowledge of the gods, which was patchy at best. However, she’d looked into them a little more after her mother started making her life more miserable by trying to be involved.

‘Can you vouch for that doll?’ Calling her doll had been unexpected and unwelcome, which was not improved by the cocky smirk that he’d accompanied it with. She could feel her fingers twitching in her lap as she took a steadying breath before answering, while she repeated a calming mantra in her head as she clicked her tongue. Don’t kill him, don’t kill him, don’t kill him.

"Christ, you don’t let up, do ye?” She chuckled and took another sip of her drink before continuing "I don’t know ‘bout school, never went really. Never stayed long enough for that. But me granda would tell us old tales most nights. Stuff like Cú Chulainn, Anansi, and that. Mainly I remember ‘bout the Greek myth was Zeus couldn’t keep it in his pants.” Though as she finished speaking her eyes narrowed as she noticed his focus had shifted to something behind her over at the bar.

Though before she could react, Nelly had leant forward, waving her hand in front of his face to get his attention "Hey, Earth to Morne. You still there? Do you know those campers?" Fiona couldn’t help but smile, and felt the tension drain away before she glanced over to see who it was they were talking about.

‘Yeah, the one is my sister. Amorey. She left me in middle of the fucking woods earlier which is why I got here so late,’ Fiona giggled at that admission from him before making a comment while he was drinking from his can. "Can’t imagine why she’d have done that.” She gave him a resigned smile, attempting to be amicable for Nelly’s sake, even if his next words caused her to groan as she tried not to laugh and lean back in her chair with a muttered curse about corny pickup lines. Though, despite that she couldn’t exactly remember the last time anyone had called her pretty, whether they meant it or were just trying to get laid.

Like Morne, she couldn’t place the newcomer speaking with his sister, though the party appeared to be filling up with more and more strangers every time she looked around. ‘I bet you know a lot more campers, who are the people you’d recommend?’’ Morne had asked Nelly casually while he looked round the party before glancing in Fiona’s direction. ‘And how about you? You don’t seem as friendly and social, but I bet you would know one or two more than this sweetie.’

She shrugged and nodded towards Nelly "I ain’t got many people queuing up to know me, really. Nell’s sweet, alright, and one o’ the few ta have bothered and not just told me ta fuck off.” She jabbed her thumb from the hand not cradling her drink over towards Duke. "Him an all, between them is probably the extent of ma social circle, mores a line really. The rest is at best Nell’s friends who, maybe, tolerate me, but she’s best to tell you ‘bout them than I could.”

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Azariah Willow Child of Hecate * Bar

Two people, one after another, making not so subtle moves on Azariah. That was fun, plenty of mischief between these two. Though, he had already had his fair share of physical exercise for one night. And with someone such as Chariselle, it was hard to top that. (Actually, it was very easy, but that’s neither here nor there.) He felt just a little bored by the advances. Did he mind them? Not remotely. But variety was spicy too. He needed something new and interesting. Was everyone just trying to fuck and be fucked right now? Indifferent, or perhaps apathetic to whatever the fuck else was hornily happening at this whoredom, Azariah swiped a fresh bottle from behind the counter, when no one was looking, and poured another shot. Then he sat it back down. "I don't know who anyone at this gathering is, dear thing, but I have to admit, there's a fine line between passion and whatever they're doing over there," He said. "There are more than enough rooms around this place, they could at least show a small amount of subtlety." And there was zero subtlety of any kind in his voice. He was bored of pleasures found in the flesh for the moment.

"Well, I for one am glad you did. It doesn't seem like it's going to be boring here, if that was any indication. I'm no prude, but I think fun times like that should be...intimate. Don't you think love?"

"Far be it from me to rebuke an expert." Azariah slid the bottle closer her way. "Careful, now. It's strong. You seem fun, Lily. I'm sure we'll see each other tomorrow." He half-expected them to run off, hands entwined, drinking every last drop of it on the way to whatever place they'd be fucking in for the next few hours.

Marlen Ross Child of Apollo * Bar

Marlen cracked open the water bottle, and without noticing the look of blatant unamusement on the bartender's face. Or, if they did happen to notice it... They didn't seem to care. Marlen stuck their thumb over the hole where the lid just was, and gave the whole bottle a swirl. A vigorous one, at that, and then they tipped it upside down, into their mouth. Rather than just take a drink from it like an ordinary, sane and normal person, a tiny whirlpool formed in the bottle, keeping it from sloshing out as water usually did. They didn't even seem to swallow a gulp of it, it just went down their throat with all the ease of water going down the side of a fucking gutter. The amount of time it took to pick up the water bottle and unscrew the lid was about as much time as it took Marlen to empty the damn thing.

"I needed that. Thanks," They said, before turning around and launching the bottle like a basketball perfectly into a trash can from a distance.

Marlen was about to consider talking Mister Scruff's ear off, then the guy next to him decided to shoot a shot. At least... It seemed like he was with the look on his face. And, of course, most of the bar was about like that. Man, was Marlen the only one sober here? Crazy.

"Say.... is this a regular thing? Big parties like this?"

"This is a party?" Marlen asked, as if they had any business inserting themselves into a conversation. "Thought this was just a bar. Do people drink like this every day, here? I wouldn't know, since I just showed up."

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Heath noticed both reactions of Anissa and Sylas when he approached them and interacted. Sylas was a blank slate, not even Heath could tell what was on his mind. This was normal since Sylas was someone Heath could never get a hold of. It was that reason why he wanted to get to know him so he could be able to get a handle on him. Looks like he was going to have a hard time doing that. He wouldn't force it though. Besides, Sylas wasn't the only camper Heath didn't know much about. His sister was another one. While Sylas appeared to be more social, Sloane didn't hang out with others that much from his observations. So it was interesting to see her talking with Duke now. Heath was one to talk, he wasn't exactly social himself, especially since Ethan left.

Both Sylas and Anissa agreed to let him join them. However, just as Heath was beginning to sit down, Sylas's hand reached out and he started talking.

"Blair was looking for you earlier. She said it was an emergency and looked pretty frantic."

Heath would have spoken up, but Sylas kept going.

"She wouldn’t tell me anything, just said she needed you."

That didn't make any sense to Heath since he just saw Blair with that new guy, but unknown to him, Sylas's last words, which he didn't know were a command, made him change his mind about the situation. Sylas sounded pretty serious, so it did make him wonder if Blair needed something. However his gaze dropped to his food and beer. He really didn't want to carry them with him. The food would probably be cold or the beer warm by the time he got back. Oh well.

"All right, I'll see what she wants. Thanks for letting me know. Can either of you watch my food please? I'll be right back."

Nodding to Anissa, he left them. Now the big question was where did Blair go with the new guy? As he made his way to the place where he last saw her, he noticed something odd. Flowers? Looking he saw his sister still talking with one camper. He instantly knew that was his sister's doing since she did that a lot when they were kids. She hadn't done it in years though. He wondered what caused her to do it this time. But that would have to wait since he was on search for his other sister.

Getting closer to the bar, he didn't see Blair nor the guy she was with. Probably got smart to find a place that was private. Question was where. First thought that came to mind was Blair's cabin. There was always the possibility of them going to the new camper's cabin, if he had one by now. Heath knew where Blair's cabin was, but only out of principle since he just wanted to know where she was staying at. He never actually been there though. Dreading what was to come, he started making his way through the party grounds and started taking the path that would lead to his destination. On his way there though, he saw the stables. It is possible they were there. After all, with all of the animals in there, besides the music of the party, no one could hear their 'activities' within there. Plus the animal scents would mask theirs, hopefully. Heath had never done the deed himself, but he had family that owned a stable that held horses, and he learned about their mating practices. Decision made, Heath headed for the stables.

As he got closer, he made sure to soften his steps for the last thing he wanted was to interrupt them. He had a feeling Blair was already going to be annoyed at him, but Sylas had been insistent. Soon he could hear activity but couldn't distinguish what kind of activity it was. He saw that the stable door was open. Now that was out of the ordinary, for that door was normally closed. Being extra careful now, he made sure to stay out of the view of the door opening, opting to come from the side. Leaning on the wall, he carefully peaked in, and saw the stable was lit. So much so he could see enough to the other side of the stable and saw another door was opened at least. He couldn't tell what was happening past that, but he saw movement of some kind. Then he heard noise that didn't belong to the animals inside. Slowly moving back, he took a deep breath. Yep, that was Blair and the guy. He most certainly wasn't going to go in now. But he wasn't going to leave either since he still felt the need to make sure Blair was okay. What in the devil was wrong with him? Blair was obviously too concerned with 'other things' to want to see him. But Sylas said he should got find her. He kept internally debating the issue for so long, he didn't realize how much time had passed when Blair and the guy finally came out of Stable. By their appearances, anyone could tell they had been in the stables, and Heath could smell them too. Seeing both of their looks when they see him, Heath was quick to look as apologetic as possible.

"I know there's no excuse for me being here Blair, but Sylas insisted I find you, claiming you were looking for me frantically. Still, I do apologize to you both. Just tell me what you want Blair and I'll leave you two to your business."

He prepared himself for any kind of reaction, for he expected the worse.

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Iliana wasn't surprised by River's shock at her little flower field she created. She really didn't mean to. He seemed to recover quickly, which was a relief to her. She remembered creating little fields of flowers as a kid. Her mom showed her how to do it but did tell her at one point to not overdo it since it was important to let the natural cycle happen on its own as much as possible. It's why she didn't use her agrokinesis power as much because she wanted to honor that cycle. Still there were plenty of times she could control her powers, like now. At least she didn't use her induce hunger ability, that was the worst one. Why she had such an ability, she'll never know.

Listening to River, she was glad he and his sister found cabins. She wondered who his sister was. She would ask him who she was so she could meet her. Hearing he was used to training and that it was more natural to him, Iliana smiled gently. It looked like he wasn't used to parties, something Iliana could understand.

"I've never been a party person too. Still I am glad I came tonight. It's been fun meeting new people. There are a lot more campers I don't recognize now. I want to meet all of them, but probably not tonight. One step at a time. I hope you enjoy the training here. Our last leader, he had us duel each other using our abilities. The duels were all random. I lost my duel since my opponent exploited one of my weaknesses, so I hope to learn from that so I can get better."

And she would, hopefully. She didn't want to forget what Liv's victory over her taught her, despite her unpleasant attitude. They all still fought for their lives that night. If she was honest, Iliana wished she could turn back time to be able to save Liv. So even though they weren't friends and Liv didn't really care for her, Iliana wanted to remember her this way.

Hearing River had not ate yet caused Iliana to look concerned.

"Aw, I just ate, but I can show you were the food is if you're hungry. There are not too many people over there either."

When he asked about her mother, Iliana would have answered him, but then he mentioned Poseidon and how much of a hard ass he was. Wait, he's Poseidon's son? Didn't she meet one of his children earlier in the day. Wait, she did. Ocean. And that's when her mind clicked. River said he had a sister. Ocean didn't mention she had a brother though, but Iliana never asked either. Before asking for clarification, Iliana decided to answer his question.

"My mom is very nice, but you never want to get her angry, that's for sure."

The first and only time she saw her mom's 'dark side' was when she saved her. Her mind was broken by then, but she'll never forget the image of her mother coming in like a storm, rage in her eyes, giving a death glare at the man who hurt her. She had been terrified. Everything went black after that and the next thing she knew, she was seeing her mother and Apollo.

"So you're Poseidon's son? Yeah, I've met your dad since he came to the camp once. He's very intimidating. Also, are you Ocean's brother? You said you had a sister and she's Poseidon's daughter. I met her this morning. She's very nice."

She didn't know much River knew what happened recently, so much like with Ocean, she didn't bring up Nicholas or Liv.

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Nelly caught Morne's change of tone at the word favoritism. She wanted him to elaborate on that, but decide not to at the moment. Plus both he and Fiona mentioned school, or in Fiona's case, the lack thereof. Nelly herself didn't have a 'traditional' education either and was fine with that. She wasn't normal, so why would she have a normal means of getting educated.

"I never went to school either. My mom and I traveled so much, so I just had tutors growing up. I did manage to get a GED though. Once I was 18, I started living on my own. My mom helped me find a place not far from hers though, in Baton Rouge. Surprisingly, I haven't been to Marti Gras yet since I am still not 'legal' yet in the US. I have 'bend the rules' in the past, but I dare not risk getting busted for underage drinking. Thank goodness I don't have that problem here hehe."

Hearing about Amorey and how she abandoned him made Nelly think for a moment. Her mother always told her there was two sides to every story and it was vital when working in journalism to get those sides. She honestly wondered if his sister really deserted him. She could always find that out.

"Hey at least you made it here safe and sound. None us old campers were expecting new ones until this morning. The gods left a note mentioning that. I was supposed to be at this camp last year, but I kept procrastinating because I don't like being stuck in a location very long. But my dad finally put his foot down and I complied. And thankfully, there's never been a dull moment, not for me at least. I can't speak for every camper here."

Morne than asked about the campers here and Fiona was quick to answer. She took note of Morne calling her 'sweetie' and giggled at that. She was nice, but she wouldn't call herself sweet. That description was better used on Iliana or Veronica. She nodded when Fiona mentioned she knew more people than she. Would never force Fiona to be as social as her. But Nelly wasn't exactly popular either.

"Yeah, I've tried interacting with all of the old campers, but not all like me. I've gotten on a few of their bad sides, purely unintentionally though. If you ever meet Trinity, Andromeda aka Andy, or Sylas, best to stay on their good sides. Sylas is the guy guy sitting at a table with black shirt on. Andy is wearing a black lace outfit and is on the dance floor with Mason, they're really close. Oh, he's another one you don't want to mess with. Let me see where Trinity is." she said before standing up.

She didn't know if Mason and Andy were 'officially' dating yet, so that's why she only mentioned they were close. Looking, she finally caught Trinity at the bar.

"Aw, Trinity is at the bar. She's blonde wearing a black top with roses on. She's also taken by Wesley. I don't see him anywhere sadly."

Now that was odd, where was Wesley? She know she saw him earlier. Not worrying about it, she sat back down.

"As for my other friends, I think their fine, but Fiona is my bestie here. She can keep up with me for one thing. I can be all over place, energy wise. Still, the others are nice. Iliana and Heath are adoptive siblings. I don't know where Heath is, but he was interacting with Sylas and a new camper not too long ago. He's blonde with a tan top on. Iliana is also blonde talking with one guy over there." she said, pointing to Iliana and River.

It was then she saw the flowers beneath them. Where did those come from? Suddenly she remembered Iliana was Demeter's daughter. Perhaps she lost control of her abilities again. There was always a cause for it.

"Hey Morne, if you want, I can try introducing you to people. Sadly I won't know all since a lot of the campers here are new ones. More than double than what it used to be it seems, right Fiona?"

---

“And here I thought you were just born with a natural talent for keeping people drunk and happy. Unfortunately for me, it takes more than a couple of these to do the job. Perks of being a son of Zeus, I guess. Great when you’re avoiding bad decisions, less great when you’re trying to make a few,” Forest grinned at the reveal. A son of the big guy himself. While he did not know many of the other Gods and Goddesses, Forest had heard plenty of stories regarding Zeus. He crooked his head again as he examined the man, wondering which aspects of his power he was granted. A second later a man offered the bar a cigarette. “Appreciate it, but I prefer… greener pastures. Something that takes you a little higher than a couple drags will.”

“One thing led to another. Yeah, I’ve been there a few times myself. Different context, same general… escalation.” Forest caught the knowing look over the rim of Elias’s glasses and chuckled a gentle laugh in response. Forest knew the escalation all too well during his time at Ohio State University. For some reason, whenever Forest would go out and have a drink at a party, women would really like when he was genuinely engaged in conversation with them instead of trying to win them over like a prize to be won. Some of them also really liked his muscles. “Pretty sure the only landmarks I’ve hit so far are the buffet table, a friend’s cabin, and your handiwork.” Forest tossed a grin Elias’s way. The man was dangerous with the compliments. Forest knew that his non-existent ego might be at risk of growing three sizes with the relentless barrage of kind words.

“So, if you’re looking for a tour guide, the only thing I can promise is equal parts aimless wandering and bad commentary. Worst case, we get lost. Best case, we find something worth coming back to.”

Elias was speaking Forest’s language. There was something interesting about exploring this place with someone who was willing to get lost in the pursuit of it. While a more experienced camper might be able to give them the most detailed guide possible, in the most efficient way possible, that would be less fun than the risk of being lost in his mothers domain. Forest wanted to see everything this camp ground had to offer. Every last open tract of land that he could get a garden in, every unique flower that differed from the ones back home, and even see if he could commune with the trees themselves. No doubt that this place may have an easier time back home. Especially if the trees were as old as he hoped they were. Speaking of flowers, Forest turned his head at the sudden plethora of them near the bar area that wasn’t there before, knowing his sibling must be here somewhere. Before she left, his Mother gave him the news that he had siblings out in the world, and one was at the camp that she wanted to send him too. Demeter told him he could learn much from training alongside a sibling. Two different approaches to the same magic would yield a sense of cooperation, and mutual aid. His eyes did a quick scan over the area but did not know if there existed any difference in look between the children of the gods.

Still, tonight was a night of meeting new people and planting the seeds of friendship, companionship, and camaraderie. And Elias would be the first person to experience the power of friendship firsthand. Plus, with his limited knowledge of greek gods and goddesses, Forest figured befriending the child of Zeus was a smart move.

“Well don’t you sound like the perfect kind of guide,” Forest paused as he walked back to the bar and grabbed two more bottles of mead and walked over to Elias, handing one out as his payment for his tour guide services, “couldn’t hurt trying some more, this one is one of my favorite Melomel’s. If you can find me a seed for greener pastures,” Forest grinned as he shifted his eyes to match Elias’s, “I can get you some good ol’ fashioned herbs and spices if you catch my drift. Now, shall we get lost,” Forest paused as he grinned, “or shall we find something worth coming back to?”

---

Two shots down and he was honestly considering a third and maybe a fourth after that. Then the realization hit him, he was craving that in between states of not feeling — being numb. Tipsy. Less of a processing brain. He wanted to keep drinking so badly but he forced himself to stop thinking about another shot while Veronica spoke, ‘Yeah… It might get better, who knows,’ he shrugged with a lightly forced smile. But he wondered how much she actually meant that. Probably just being kind. Most people wanted to be kind, especially at first. Anatoliy shook his head, ‘I doubt most people could actually keep me here if I wanted to go,’ if he truly wanted to get out of here — he would have already but he kind of wanted to stay around to see what happens.

Seeing how Veronica was surprised by the sight made him think this was not a normal thing. Plus, Sofia’s reaction of disgust and other emotions showed how others were not comfortable with such activities. The guy and girl were unfamiliar to him but they both looked like the party types. People that wanted to have fun and forgot about everyone around them or wanted the eyes of others looking. ‘So, we don’t get these a lot,’ This was a statement more said as an out loud thought than anything. He wasn’t surprised since he understood camp was to come and train and do stuff like that.

There was so much going on around them but Anatoliy was mainly focusing on the girls — this might have been because he was trying to internally calm his mind. Focusing on everything else could get overwhelming especially with how wild people were being. In another light, he would have probably been doing some wild stuff, but his current state of mind was not allowing his more social and fun loving side out. He almost felt tired and exhausted — drained.

Everyone seemed to want to get food which made sense but he didn’t feel hungry even though he knew he should eat. ‘Nothing else is happening,’ Anatoliy confessed. ‘And I probably should get something in my stomach,’ He really needed to or he was going to be regretting it sooner or later. ‘And if you girls don’t mind. I’ll join you. You two seem to be really cool and relaxed compared to others I have met to be honest, so I am really enjoying the vibe,’ Anatoliy gestured his hand at the girls in a friendly manner to show that he was speaking about their vibe. Most of his interactions were neutral to negative so far but Veronica and Sofia seemed to actually be normal compared to others here especially in basic communication skills. Which was refreshing. He didn’t always have his strong suit in social interactions but with how many people would just walk away, he was beginning to realize how abnormal people’s interactive personalities were and how tense others were with each other too.

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Interactions Veronica @Fabricator & Sofia @Theyra